The deal would have paid him $65 million, so Anthony is walking away from some serious dough if HoopsWorld is correct. If he doesn’t sign an extension, Anthony will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Anthony’s no fool. He saw what happened this summer. He knows that he can get a lot more money next year and can either go somewhere else or stay with the Nuggets; he’s keeping his options open.

The case for signing an extension this summer was that he could guarantee his money with the looming threat of a lockout next year, but he likes the chances the owners and the players work it out (I, too, think the concerns of no basketball in 2011-2012 are entirely premature).

That said, this report only further increases the chances that there’s a new supergroup brewing. He very well could be on his way to New York next year, with Chris Paul not far ahead or behind.